PASIG CITY – The Department of Education (DepEd) has not given the Department of Health (DoH) the “green light” to distribute condoms in schools.

Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones on Wednesday disclosed to members of the media that there has been an informal discussion, but DepEd has not given its consent to finally implement the health agency’s plan. Top-level formal talks is being initiated by DepEd.

The Education chief further clarified that in the event of implementation, it will be at the level wherein students are capable of understanding and discerning through the continuing age-appropriate reproductive health education in schools.

“Most likely, it will be at the level of junior high and senior high school na makaka-discern at makakaintindi na yung mga bata. . . Siguro I was 11 or 12, our teacher at that time was already teaching us about reproductive health,” Briones pointed out.

As part of ensuring that the proposed distribution, in case of implementation, will not become an instrument for inapt promotion of promiscuity and debasement of moral values, teachers will have to be further trained on how to properly explain to learners the rationale of disseminating contraceptives and the many repercussions of pre-marital sex.